1995 Sailfish 176 Deck Replacement

They could have routed the hoses right over top of that stringer. Unreal.

 

How did your boat turn out? I have a 1995 176 cc sailfish I'm currently working on. A little different than yours. Would love to see pictures

 

Hey Josh - Better late than never. Life threw me a few curveballs in the last year and I tabled the project from about June 2020 til about a couple months ago. It’s been a process. I ended up laying in a double layer of 3/4” plywood for the deck. That got me to level where I could epoxy the old top skins on. I’m sure some on here will scoff and say I should have just put strips onto the stringers then added a plywood deck over top but whatever, it’s my boat and the new deck is solid as ****. I took 25 gallons out of the original fuel tank size which will more than offset the weight difference and give me a ton of wood to put a mini t-tower I’m planning on down into. Speaking of stringers… the laminate is so thick and well incorporated into the hull with the typical seacraft’esque box system I decided to leave it be even though parts were wet, parts were pretty much gone. I have zero worries given the laminate thickness and construction of the stringers. Even with no wood left it would still be plenty strong in an 18’ boat. I’m actually about to glue the rear section of the top skin back on at this point. Underneath I replaced all wiring, added a wet storage area in front of console, removed all old (wet and sludgy and otherwise good) foam and re-poured it, added a new 40 gallon aluminum tank etched and coated with Interlux Interprotect, all new fuel lines, filler, vent, etc., painted bilge, re-finished bait well which involved glassing in bottom to cut correct opening for the standpipe I bought. All drain hoses replaced where needed and I put in hoses for an optional livewell in front of console. Painted bilges and heavily glassed in those stupid holes cut into the rear stringers. So that’s where I’m at… finishing gluing down top skin onto deck then fix all old holes in the skin and fair everything. Then nonskid, install console, etc and begin working on cosmetics before re-rigging the motor. Still thinking I’ll paint hull above and below rubrail but may stick with gelcoat above if I can bring it back enough. Lots left to do. I’ve learned a ton though throughout the process, my first partial restoration attempt. I have no doubt it’ll be a sweet looking and performing rig when I’m done with it. I’ve uploaded a bunch of pics taken along the way. Hope this helps somebody out.

 

More pics

 

More pics.

 

Filling in lots of screw holes, gouges, and associated grind outs recently. Sand and repeat. It’s coming together slowly but surely.

 

Progress pics

 

Using TotalBoat epoxy fairing compound. Easy to use, very forgiving. I like it.